Year: 2026

On Monday, reporters engage with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Alex Brandon/AP

The White House called on congressional Democrats to allocate funds for the Department of Homeland Security following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

“The Democrats’ hindrance is imposing a huge and completely unnecessary strain on the Secret Service, potentially leading to more fatalities.” Sufficient is sufficient. “Enough discussions on this matter,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated to reporters Monday in the White House briefing room.

“Democrats must follow President Trump’s call for funding the Department of Homeland Security, which he has made for 73 consecutive days.” “This is a national crisis, and all members of Congress must prioritize their country over their party and ensure funding for the Department of Homeland Security,” Leavitt stated.

She referred to the expired funding as a “national disgrace” that warrants greater focus.

“If Republicans cut funding for DHS, and there was another attempted assassination on a Democrat president, I would expect the media coverage to be unyielding and severe, and I wish that it remains that way with the World Cup, America 250, the 2028 Olympics, and an upcoming presidential election,” she stated.

House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that security protocols for major events need reassessment after Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, claiming the shooting highlighted the necessity of a White House ballroom.

“Secret Service performed excellently; brave individuals present.” “Clearly, we have to consider security precautions,” Johnson said to reporters on Monday upon arriving at the US Capitol.

He emphasized the significance of the event: “The president, the vice president, and the speaker of the House were present, which are the first three in the line of succession … at least half the Cabinet was also there.”

Johnson stated that Saturday night’s episode illustrated why President Donald Trump ought to build a White House ballroom, reflecting the arguments presented by the administration.

“This is the reason we require the ballroom.” It truly is. The president is correct about that. “We require a venue that is sufficiently secure to hold events of this nature without significant national security issues,” the Louisiana Republican stated.

DHS funding: In the wake of the shooting, pressures are increasing on Capitol Hill for Congress to finally approve funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which has been non-operational since mid-February.

Earlier this month, the Senate passed a bill to fund the department, excluding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, but House Republican leaders have not brought it to the floor for a vote.

The speaker was vague when questioned by Xenix News’ Lauren Fox about when he would present DHS funding for a vote. However, he stated that the issue was “urgent.”

On his April 23 show, Jimmy Kimmel participated in a parody of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Randy Holmes/Disney

First lady Melania Trump suggested that late-night host Jimmy Kimmel ought to be fired due to a parody of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner featured on his show last week.

In the skit, Kimmel shared a variety of jokes, including one remarking that the first lady had “a radiance like an awaiting widow.”

Kimmel joked on Thursday during “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” just days before the suspected gunman tried to access the event where President Donald Trump, Melania Trump, and other high-ranking officials were evacuated.

The first lady described Kimmel as “a coward” and stated: “Enough is enough.” “It is time for ABC to make a decision.”

Here are some of the newest updates following the shooting that occurred this past weekend:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated it was “rapidly evaluated” that “the continuity of government” was ensured after the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday.

Authorities are looking into a message dispatched by the alleged shooter to relatives, in which he reportedly referred to himself as the “Friendly Federal Assassin,” stating his aim was to attack officials from the Trump administration.

Attorneys representing the historic preservation organization that is suing Trump regarding his proposal to construct a large new White House ballroom informed the Justice Department yesterday that it was “incorrect and irresponsible” for a high-ranking official to imply that the lawsuit endangers the president’s life.

The state visit of King Charles and Queen Camilla to the US will proceed as scheduled. The British king is anticipated to speak to Congress and hold a private meeting with Trump.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, and US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro intend to hold a press conference following the court appearance of the suspected gunman from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

The event will take place at 3 p.m. ET.

The suspected shooter, named Cole Allen, is set to face a DC federal court for the first time this afternoon.

He is anticipated to be brought to court on allegations that consist of utilizing a weapon in a violent offense. The investigation is ongoing and the charges have not been disclosed yet.

By Kristen Holmes, Casey Tolan, Alayna Treene, John Miller, Holmes Lybrand, and Kyung Lah

Officials are examining a communication sent by the alleged shooter connected to Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner incident, attempting to comprehend what supposedly drove him from being a well-regarded California educator to an attempted murderer.

“Please allow me to begin by expressing my apologies to all those whose trust I misused,” states a message that officials claim was transmitted by the accused, Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old resident of Torrance, California, who worked as a part-time educator and also created video games, as per public documents.

In the message Allen reportedly sent to relatives prior to the assault, he referred to himself as the “Friendly Federal Assassin,” expressed plans to target Trump administration officials, and shared his political frustration, stating, “I don’t expect forgiveness.”

Investigators are examining the statement that Allen purportedly sent along with his social media history — which President Donald Trump referred to as “anti-Christian” — interviewing family members and trying to understand what motivated him to allegedly execute the violent assault.

The note detailed various complaints in general terms that might indicate a motive to the authorities, including frustration over detention camp conditions and seeming to label Trump as a “traitor.”

Allen often made extreme remarks as he engaged in leftist activism in Los Angeles, obtained firearms, and started practicing regularly at a shooting range, his sister informed authorities, as reported by the White House.

On April 1, a crane is visible over the construction area of President Trump’s White House ballroom. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Attorneys for the historic preservation organization that is suing President Donald Trump regarding his intentions to construct a large new ballroom at the White House informed the Justice Department yesterday that it was “wrong and reckless” for a senior official to imply that the lawsuit threatens the president’s safety.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which denied a request from the department to dismiss the case due to the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, informed the department in a letter that assertions made earlier Sunday regarding the possible effects of the lawsuit were baseless.

The group highlighted that the case did not center on the need for a new ballroom but instead on whether Trump could move forward without congressional consent. A federal judge sided with the group last month and mandated a halt to construction, but an appeals court has put that ruling on hold.

Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate insisted the trust abandon its “foolish lawsuit that serves no real purpose,” contending that the ballroom would allow presidents to avoid traveling outside the White House for large events like the one at the Washington Hilton on Saturday.

Observers have noted that the dinner for correspondents is a private gathering and that a new ballroom would not alter this fact.

Shumate stated that if the group did not consent to terminate the litigation, the department would request a federal court to dismiss the case, although that request has not occurred yet.

President Donald Trump has canceled scheduled discussions between his representatives and Iranian officials in Islamabad, Pakistan, where both sides were expected to negotiate a ceasefire agreement to terminate the ongoing US-Iran conflict.

The White House referred Xenix News to remarks Trump made to Xenix News regarding the issue.

“I informed my team not long ago, just as they were preparing to depart, declaring, ‘Nope, you’re not taking an 18-hour flight to go there,’” Trump told Xenix News during a phone interview, based on remarks shared on air. “‘We hold all the cards.” “They’re free to contact us whenever they wish, but you won’t be taking any more 18-hour flights just to chat about nothing.”

The US delegation was expected to be headed by White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, accompanied by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

The abrupt and one-sided action follows Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s recent exit from the Pakistani capital, where he had been discussing the issue with officials.

Firefighters, first responders, and volunteers are on the scene of an apartment complex struck by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon, on April 8. Bilal Hussein/AP

According to a statement today from the Lebanese Health Ministry, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have resulted in at least 2,496 fatalities since they started on March 2.

This number indicates a substantial increase from the previous death toll reported by the ministry on April 17. It then stated that Israeli strikes had resulted in the deaths of 2,294 individuals, with 177 of them being children.

Even with a newly extended ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, Israel has maintained that its troops will stay in the southern region and keep addressing “any threat.”

The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that an Israeli strike on a motorcycle in southern Lebanon today resulted in the deaths of four individuals, while Israel noted rocket fire from Hezbollah, the militant group backed by Iran.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated it has eliminated “over 15 terrorists in southern Lebanon” this weekend, including three who were traveling in “a vehicle filled with weapons” earlier today.

“The IDF reported that a further terrorist on a motorcycle in southern Lebanon, south of the Forward Defense Line, was also neutralized.”

Read more: Satellite images reveal how the Israeli campaign against Hezbollah swiftly turned into a mission to level large areas of southern Lebanon.

Xenix News Tim Lister played a role in this reporting.

The luxury megayacht Nord was observed anchored in Hong Kong in 2022. Isaac Lawrence/AFP/Getty Images

The Nord (IMO: 9853785), an approximately 142-meter (466-foot) yacht claimed to be among the largest globally, departed from Dubai, the UAE capital, last evening before navigating the essential waterway overnight, as per information from maritime intelligence service MarineTraffic. According to MarineTraffic data, it is en route to Muscat, Oman.

A megayacht associated with a sanctioned Russian oligarch passed through the congested Strait of Hormuz earlier today, according to tracking data.

A yacht broker informed Xenix News that the yacht is valued at no less than $500 million and is generally thought to be owned by Alexey Mordashov, the head of a major Russian steel and mining company and among Russia’s richest billionaires. The ship is owned by Mordashov, according to the Associated Press.

The yacht, 1.5 times larger than an American football field, seems to have taken the path that goes by Iran’s Larak Island, a route identified by Lloyd’s List Intelligence as one utilized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to manage entry to the strait.

Nautical Movement

Xenix News has earlier disclosed that the US State Department imposed sanctions on Mordashov in 2022, along with three of his additional companies, his spouse, and two grown children.

The Nord yacht features two helipads and usually has a large crew aboard, comprising a full-time chef, fitness trainer, and massage therapist, yacht broker Michael Maximilian Bognier informed Xenix News in 2022.

It is yet to be determined whether the megayacht’s voyage will be affected by the US military’s presence in the area, including a naval blockade that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth informed reporters yesterday “is expanding and becoming global.”

Xenix News reports were contributed by Oliver Sherwood.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Islamabad on Saturday evening local time, as per Iranian sources knowledgeable about the talks, following discussions in the Pakistani capital regarding a ceasefire with Washington and consultations with crucial regional allies.

Initially, it was uncertain where Araghchi would go next, but the Iranian Foreign Ministry had stated earlier that he would visit Oman and Russia as part of the trip.

Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday evening for a series of discussions with Pakistan’s senior leadership, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, who plays a crucial role as a mediator between Tehran and Washington.

Pakistani officials are working to enable a second round of negotiations between US and Iranian representatives, following extensive discussions in early April that did not resolve the most challenging diplomatic obstacles between the conflicting sides.

On Friday, the White House announced that a US delegation would head to Islamabad this weekend, but Iranian media dismissed claims that Araghchi would engage in direct negotiations with Washington during his visit, creating uncertainty about the talks’ status.